Machine for forming heel seats



P 1943- v E. H. BASTABLE I 2,329,740

MACHINE FOR FORMING HEEL SEATS Filed Oct. 2, 1941 4 Sheets-$heet l Sept. 21, 1943. BASTABLEv MACHINE FOR FORMING HEEL SEATS Filed Oct. 2, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fzaawr Wardlflmsiak.

Sept. '21, 1943. E. H. BASTABLE V MACHINE FOR FORMING HEEL SEATS Filed Oct. 2. 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 21, 1-943. 5, H. BASTABLE MACHINE FOR FORMING HEEL SEATS Filed Oct. 2, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 @5260 217 aai'ak Patented Sept. 21, 1943 ATES PAT Edward H. Bastable, Newton l tiass, I I I Application October 2, 1941, Serial No. 413 ,315 6; claim. 31. mars;

The invention relates to an improved method ofand means for forming upon the heel portion of a sole a heel seat to receive :difierent types of heels to be attached; I I

Heel seat trimming machines of the prior art usually embody a cutting tool operative to bevel off a U-shaped strip and another cutting tool to sever the strip, from the heel portionof a sole, the line ofcut of the severing op ration being along'the breast line and substantially at right angles to the plane of. the sole, thereby providing a U-shaped convexityterminating at its inner ends in abutments against which the inner. edge of a heelgmay, be positioned, as illustrated-in 1 United States Patent No.- 1,307,284.

Where the'heel seat hasbeen accurately cut to receive a'particular size and-type ofheel, such machines are generallysatisfactory, but when inaccuracies .are encountered, either in the shaping of the heel cavity or in the formation ofvthe.

heel seat, itis extremely difiicult toobtain an accurate fit because. the abutment produced. by severing the U-shaped' strip eitherprovides a gap, if the heel should be moved outwardly to correct position, or prevents the heel from being moved inwardly to correct position, thereby producing a rearwardly oflset fit. Ineithercase the inaccurate fit not only detracts'irom the appearance, of the finished shoe, but also is apt to weaken the construction. 1 4

The principal objects of the present invention are to -provide. an improved shoe construction and method of makinglthe same which over comesthe aforementioned objectionablefeatures,

and'to provide a heel seat trimming: machine which is of simple design and of strong and durable construction andwhich is eflicient and reliable in operation, capable of accurately operating upon right and left solesto form a heel'seat upon be accurately fitted.

1 I I I Further objects relate to various features and will beapparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: II I I Fig. 1 is a top plan 'view of a machine con structed in accordance with or' embodied in the present invention; I II Fig. 2 is a side elevation .thereof I I Fig. 3 is-a section on the line3 3- oi Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is asectionon the line 4-401; Fig-.2; Fig. 5 is an; end elevation of-the machine; Fig. 6 is a. perspective :view illustrating the manner in whicha' sole :is positioned-within the machine, prior-:to the cutting operation;v

which heels of difierent styles and types ,may

' Fig. '7 is an. enlarged section illustrating side beveling operation; 4

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustratingthe manner in which both cutting or bevelingioperations are performed;

- Fig.9 is a perspective view ofthe'heel portion of a sole after being operatedupon;

Fig. 10 iswaside elevation illustrating the afi I ner in whicha heel maybe adjustably applied to a heel seat :formed in accordance-With the I present invention; I ,1; :0: Fig. 11 is a perspective of an outsoleforme'd with a heel seatto receive a-Louis or French heel; I i I l LY 3 5 Fig. 12 is a fragmentary side; elevation, with parts shown insection,,of a shoeihaving a Louis Fig. 13 is (fragmentary perspective view oi an outsole formed withaheel' seatto receive a- Cuban heelyand l Fig.14 is'a side view mtaaeg therear per-Y I tion of ashoe having a'Cuban heel.;.-

I I Referring to Figs. ;1 to 8, the machineshownv I therein comprisesa generally rrectangularbase member l-.adapted to be received bY' OI -SECHIG I to the work rest 'asIidabIe-bed of a conventional press (not shown) such. as is; used in stamping or cutting out shoe .-upper sections or the like, the base being constructed'so'as to provide-1a housingfor certain parts of the operating 'mech-,

anism hereinafter described. Therear portion of the baS i; supports a plurality; of upstanding posts 2, the upper ends of which.,project into openings-formed in a head member 4}, and compressionsprings 5 circumposedabout the posts 2, normally. support the head 4' at a predetermined I level above the baseythese posts being arranged to providean; operating zoneorarea'to receive the end'of-a sole to be operatedupon. Q The front of the head is recessed, as indicated at 6 (Fig. 1), and its center is formed with; a slot 1 which receives a screw.& for adjustably holding,

the blockll to whichaU-shaped cutter, blade or knife 10 issuitably secured. Mounted upon the base I beneath; the cutter" Illis a die block {H .formed with a U-shaped' groove. [2 to receive. the

cutting edge of the knife or blade 10' when brought. into operative position-1M As 'shownin 7,---the portion ,of the ;.cutting block-; sur-; rounded bythe'groovelZ is formed with; a convexsurfaoe so that in the cutting operation'the" sole- Sis-bentE or so distorted that .the knife llhcuts into it at an angle relative to the plane "ofpthe;. base, .thereby producing a, bevel cut-.--

as shown in Figs.,2,;;=3;. ld 5. ,thezheadil an;

knife I!) are normally held by springs in spaced relation to the cutting block H which is adjustably secured to the base I by a screw l4. By loosening the screws 8 and M, the cutter knife I!) and block ll may be adjusted as desired, and by H, the downward movement of the head being a shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and hence cutting movement of the carriers 22 is initiated substantially simultaneously with downward movement of the head 4. If desired, the screw 3| may be adjusted so as normally to be held in a predetermined spaced relation to the end of arm 38, and

' in thi manner the cutting movement of the limited by upstanding abutments I5 (F g 5 and 6) whichprovide stops carried by or formed integral with the base I.

A pair of spaced guide blocks i8 is mounted on the base I forwardly of and in alignment with the stops [5, and both the stops and guide blocks are formed with axially aligned openings extending at an angle of the o'rder of '20 to the plane of the base. These openings receive guide posts'20which slidably support'knif carriers zz and compression i springs -21, circumposed: about the posts, normally holdthe carriers in retracted position, as'shown in- Figs. l to-'3. The carriers 22 are generaIIy U-shaped, asshownmore clearly in Figs. 4 and 5, so that their outer'legs-enter the openings in the guide'blocks while their inner legs extend rearwardly and downwardly toward the inner end of the groove l'2 in the cutting block ll. i

Cuttingor severing-knives 25 are removably and adjustably secured to the carriers 22 by screws Ziiso that when these knives are carried downwardly to the limit of their cutting stroke their beveled cutting edges are contiguous to the inner ends of the knife l0 when the -latter has like-- wise been carried to the'limitof its Cutt ng Stro e- In order to avoid interference with the knives 2.5,the inner ends of the knife |0-maybe cut away, as shown at'21 in Figg 8. In order to insure a complete severing of the marginal portion of a sole by a smooth, "clean cut, the inner edges of the knives 25 may, if desired, beprovided with cutting ears 28," although'itis to'be understood that the shape or the inner end-"of the knife In and the 'adjacent-end-of the knives 25 may be otherwise than as here-shown so longas they are operative to insure severing of the=marginal'portion of theheel.

, 'The knives 25 are operatedin timed relation to the knife-1 ill and in response to'downwa-rd-movemerit of the head 4, and'to this end the {front portions of the headon each side ofthe-rec'ess B, are provided with depending-posts Sli -(Figs, 1-3), the lower=ends of which carr-yscrews 3iprovlded wlthdock nutsfiSZ by means of'which the efiective lengths of the post 3Umay'lo'e varied. Within the'housing provided by the base I is a pair of aligned, transversely extending shafts suitably supportd in bearing inembe'rs formed integral withor carried by the base. Each shaft 35 supports 'a rocker arm 38 one end of which =is connected by a pin 39'with a bell crank 40 also mounted on the shaft 35. Th free and ofarm 38 extends beneath the post 3fl and the free'end of the bell crank 40 *projects upwardly to -a posi tion' adjacent -to the 'outer "end of the carrier "22 which isformed with a rounded or'carnlike surface, y

The part sare so constructe'd and-arranged that normally the end of the arm SB'contact'sthe ad-' jacent screw 3| of "the post'3ll, and the end of arm 40 contacts the end M ofcarrier 22, as

carriers and the extent of such movement maybe varied to suit the requirements of the case. In any event, downward movement 10f the head 4 effects thecutting movement of the knives i0 and 25, and as the head continues its down- ,ward movement, the cutting edge of the knife 16,

.due to the construction and arrangement of parts, first strikes a sole S (Fig. 8) positioned on the cutting block II, and as the knife H] is cutting intothe sole, the severing knives 25 commence 'their cutting action on the sole. When the knife [0 has been carried through the sole, it continues a short distance into the groove H and by this timetlieknives 25 have been forced through the sole, thus severing the U-shapedmarginalstrip by 'a transverse bevel cut. tAlthough the commencement and finishing of-the cutting opera tions are preferably sequential, yet-as a practical matter they occur -so quickly as to' be substantially simultaneousl l f The advantage of having the commencement of the cutting operations sequential resides'inthe=fact that the knife 10, first striking the "sole S; tends to hold or clamp'it in'iixed position during the cutting operation about'to 'be "performed "by the knives 25, whereasif the reverse were the case, the knives 25,due to their angular movement, would tend to dislodge the sole frornits prop'er'position: Thus, the "knife lfl performs a dual function, viz.',1"cutting the U-shaped marginalstrip andservi'ng'positively to-holdthe sole during the cuttingoperation' periorme'd b the knives 25." I In orderproperlyto position both right'and left sole's' on the block I I any-suitable type; of gauges may be provided. l Since it isrdesirable' that a machine of this typeshoul'd be able to op'erate'not only-'onlrighfiand leftsflbut also'upon difierent sizes I andistyles'the gauge means"should be adjustable so as to accomniodate such requirements. Moreover, the accuracy of the operation is of course-dependent upon the accuracy with which such gauges are set, and hence it is equally desirable 'to provide means for'insuriri'g an accurate setting? of thegauge's. To this end, I" provide a template'T (Fig. 6) preferably formed of 'sheet metahhavingthe exact size and shape of the trimmed soledesired, the template being used in conjunction with a pair of gauge setting fingers 45'which are carried by the'head 4. Tlie'fingers 45'are formed integral with a flat body member 46 having a vertically extending slot 41 (Fig. 3) through which a'headed set screw 48 projects, the setscrew serving to clamp the gauge settin'gnevice against the recess edge of the headdyas shown in Figs. 1 to 3. The con- StructiOn and'arrangement of partsare such that when the device is lowered the ends of'the fingers 45 are contiguous to "the die block H at a point adjacent to theends of thegroo've I2 (Fig. 6), a position correspondingto the jbreast line of the template Tand soles (Fig, 8). Thus, the fingers id determine the inner limit to which a sole should be inserted 'and hence provide a setting a'gainst which the shoulders of the templateiT shouldengage for proper setting of the cooperating.gaugel membersfifl.l.

The gauge membersifiucomprisea; plate. 5 l slidtudinal adjustment. 7 e

The gauge 50 also cooperates with another gauge 60 which comprises a transversely extendingscrew shaft 6| suitably mounted fo'r'rotation in the base i, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6.

The'outer end of the screw shaft (ii carries a thumb wheel 62 and its inner, end carries a screw threadedlug B4 slidably mountedin a slot 65 formed'in the h s? I so that the lug 64 may be carried inwardly or outwardly upon rotation of the screw shaft in one direction or the other. The lug 64 projects upwardly 'above the surface of the base so as to provide an abutment or stop against which one edge of the instep or shank portion'of a sole may engage. In this manner the lug 64 cooperates with one or the other of the notches 52, 52% to determine the correct position of a sole about to be trimmed by the knives H! and 25. In order to lock the gauge 60 in adjusted positiona latch member 66 (Fig. 4) is mounted on the base and by means of a pin and slot arrangement '61 the end of the latch 66 is movable into and out of engagement with the thumb wheel 62. A set screw 68 is provided to clamp the latch member 65 in lockingposition.

To set the gauges correctlyfor a given size or style of outsole to be trimmed, a template T having the exact size and shapeof the finished sole is first inserted s thatthe shoulders at the breast line of the template engage the fingers 45, as illustrated in Fig. 6. As here shown, the tem: plate T may correspond to a right sole for use with a French heel, and in such case the gauge 58 is adjusted so that the toe portion of thetemplate projects into-the notch 52, as shown by the full lines of Fig. 6;but if the template T corresponds to a left sole, then the gauge 50 is adjusted so that the toe portion of the template projects into notch 52%, as shown by the broken line of Fig. 6. With the --template properly positioned, the gauge Ell is adjusted so as to bring the stop or lug 64 into engagement with its shank edge, and the gauge fill'may' then be lockedby the latch member 65. The gauges D and 60 are now. adjusted to hold a sole in proper position for operation by the cutting knives Ill and 25, and hence the gauge setting fingers 45 may be elevated to a position above the operating zone, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and locked in such position by screw 48.

The machine above described may be used in conjunction with a press of the type shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,886,554, and in order to secure it to the bed of the press, the base I is provided with brackets 68 which carry screws or like fastening elements for holding it firmly in position. The adjustments above described may be made before or after the machine is inserted in the press and other adjustments, as well as replacements of parts, may be made while the machine is attached to the press, it being noted that the adjusting devices are conveniently located so that it is unnecessary to remove the machine in order to make replacements and adjustments.

After having made the aforementioned adjustments, the machine is then ready foroperae'" tion as followsf A'rounded sole' S to ib'e trimm'edl is inserted in the operating zone so thatiits' shank edge abutsthe ga'uge member 64 and itstoe-por-' tion fits againstone' ofthe V-shaped notches; Where a soleto receive a Frenchheel is to be'v prepared, the us'ualflap splitting or skivin opera ation is first performed in the conventional man-. ner, and with the breast flapiheld'out of the-ways, the sole is insertedfigrain side up." On the other hand, if the sole is to receive aCuban heel, the" splitting operation is dispensed with and the sole inserted grain side down.

' When positioned as describedabove', the rear portion of the .sole is correctly located on the die. block I l and operation of the press brings the head 4 downwardly so that the knife Ill cuts through the heel portion of thesoleands'ubstantially simultaneously the severingknives 25 operate to remove the U shaped strip from the marginsof the heel" portion." The trimmed sole is. then removed, another sole inserted and the operation repeated.

Referring to Figs. 9 to 12,-thetrimmed soles I is to receive a Frech heel, and it will be observed that the heel seat in is defined by a U-shaped.

bevel cut 1!, the ends of which 'adjoin the trans-- verse inwardly directed beveled surfaces lZ'which terminate in feathered or tapered end portions located rearwardly of the breast line H of the The sole S is applied to a lasted shoe in the" sole. usual manner, and a French'heel H is then positioned so that the outer ends of its breast edge are seatedlon the beveled surfaces 12, as shown in Fig. 10,in which position the rear or outersurface of the heel should merge into the contour line of the rear of the shoe, as shown in Fig. 12. In the event that the heel should be adjusted forwardly or 'rearwardly in order to attain the cor rect fit, it is merely necessary to slide the breast edge of the heel along the'bevel surface 12. it being noted that these; surfaces have sufiicient breadth (being of the order "of A" or more) to accommodate the maximum adjustment to insure an accurate fit. After havingsecured the heel in position, the breast flap 15 may then'be cemented in place in the customary manner and outsole to the lasted shoe should be encountered. it will be observed that such may be compensated for or overcome by adjusting the heel in one direction or the other, as indicated by the broken lines of Fig. 10. thus avoiding a hand-trimming operation or the production of a gap between the breast line of the sole and the heel, which would not only detract from the appearance of the shoe, but also tend to weaken the construction.

In preparing a sole to receive a Cuban heel H (Fig. 14), the rounded sole S is inserted in the machine in the same manner as above described except that the grain surface is down and hence the bevel surfaces 12' extend from the-inner or flesh surface rearwardly to the outer or grain surface, terminating in a feathered edge located rearwardly of the breast line 14' of the sole, as illustrated in Fig. '13. [The sole is applied to a lasted shoe in the usual manner and the Cuban- Even though inaccuracies or vari: I ations in forming the heel seat or in applying the heel 'Hnis applied ma manner similar to that above described, it :being noted that the outer ends :of the breast edge of the heelare seated on the outer or'grain surfaces of the bevel portion l2',:'as shown .in Fig. '14. Dueito the tapered or beveled portions 72', the edge line of the outsole merges with that of the heel andhence presentsa more attractive appearance as compared with prior art constmctions wherein the edge of the outsole abuts the breastsurface of-the heel and hence does notpresent-a continuous edge line efiect. r

Another feature of the invention resides in the fact that the usualrasping operations, invariably found'necessary to round'and level off the floatingendsof the shank portion of-a sole trimmedin accordance with prior art practices, is minimized if not eliminated since such ends are firmly anchored beneath the marginal Jportions "at the breast line of the heel when the outsole is prepared in accordance with the present invention. -I' claim; i

1 A heel seat fitting machine comprising means forsupporting a sole in a predetermined fixed position, cutting means for making a substantially U-shaped out through the marginal heel portion of the sole, and severing means mountedto move at an angle to the path of travel of said cutting means and to the supporting means for the sole so as to sever said marginal heel port-ion by transverse bevel cuts, the ends of which are located rearwardly of the breast'line of thesole.

2. A heel seat fitting machine comprising means for supporting'a sole in a predetermined fixed position, cutting means-for making a substantially-U-shaped cut through the marginal heel portion of the'sole, and'severing'means operative concomitantly with said-cutting means, said severing means being mounted to move at "an angle to't-he path of travel oflsaid cutting means and-to the supporting means for the sole so as to seversaid marginal heelrportion by transverse bevel cuts the ends of which are located rearwardlyof the breast line of the sole.

-3.-A' heel seat fitting machine comprising means for supporting a sole in a predetermined fixed positiomireciprocating cutting means for making a substantially U-shaped cut through the marginal heel portion of the sole,:and severing means operative during the cutting stroke ofisaid reciprocating cutting means, said severing means being mounmd to move at an angle to the path of travel of said cutting means and to the supporting means for'the sole so as to sever said marginal heel portion by transverse bevel cuts the-ends of which are located rearwardly of the breast line of the sole. Y

4. A heel seat fitting machine comprising a base having gauge means for holding a sole in a predetermined fixed position, a U-shaped cutter blade mounted for reciprocatory movement, ac tuating means for reciprocating sald blade 50 as to make a U-shaped cut through the marginal heel portion of said sole, a pair of spaced shearing knives mounted for reciprocatory movement at an angle to the plate of the sole and to the path of travel of said cutter blade, said knives being positioned so as-to sever said marginal heel portion by transverse bevel cuts, the free ends of which are located rearwardly of the breast line of the sole, and means responsive to the operation of said actuating means for operating said knives.

5. A heel seat fitting machine comprising a base having gauge means for holding a sole in a predetermined fixed position, acutter supported for reciprocatory movement toward and away from said base and operative to make a U-shaped cut through the marginal heel portion of the sole, a pair of spaced shearing knives mounted for reciprocatory movement at an angle to the path of travel of said cutter and to the plane of said base, said knives beingoperative to sever said marginal heel portion by transverse bevel cuts the ends of which are located rearwardly of the breast line of the sole, and actuating means for reciprocating said cutter and knive substantially simultaneously.

6, A heel seat fitting machine comprising a base having a gauge means for holding a sole in apredetermined fixed position, a head member mounted to reciprocate toward and away from said base, a cutter secured to said head and oper ative to make a U-shaped out; through the marginal heel portion of the sole, a pair of spaced shearing knives mounted for reciprocatory movement at an angle to the plane of the base and positioned to sever said marginal heel portion by transverse bevel cuts the ends of which are located rearwardly of the breast line of the sole, and mechanism operatively associated with said knives and having parts engageable by means carried by said head member for reciprocating said knives during movement of said head member toward said base.

EDWARD H. BASTABLE. 

